LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING
Two occupants in the vehicle were
transported to an area hospital after the
2001 Acura struck the cyclist and overturned, Hallock said.
According to Hallock, authorities
responded to the accident at 11:15 p.m.
Tuesday near the intersection of PCH and
Blue Lantern. Both the cyclist and vehicle
were believed to be traveling southbound.
Orange County Fire Authority crews
arrived on scene at 11:16 p.m. with reports
of three injuries, said OCFA spokesman
Capt. Shane Sherwood. Officials found
the vehicle overturned and pronounced
Gamal dead at the scene, Sherwood said.
A 19-year-old male driver, from Dana
Point, and an 18-year-old passenger were
hospitalized.

WHAT’S NEXT: The sheriff’s department
major accident reconstruction team is
investigating the accident. Preliminary
investigations indicate alcohol may have
been a factor, Hallock said. No charges
have yet been filed pending the outcome
of the investigation, Hallock said.
—Andrea Papagianis

What’s Up With...
Five things Dana Point should know this week
Concerns over the future of spent nuclear fuel housed on-site
at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, south of San
Clemente, will be heard Tuesday at a community engagement
panel meeting in San Juan Capistrano hosted by majority
plant owner and operator Southern California Edison.

SONGS Panel to Discuss Nuclear Fuel Concerns
THE LATEST: Southern California Edison’s
community engagement panel will meet
Tuesday, May 6 to discuss the management of spent nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, located
south of San Clemente.
The management of such fuel, both in
temporary cooling pools and permanent
dry-cask storage on-site, has been a major
point of contention since the plant closed
in June 2013.
Since the plant’s closure, San Clemente
officials formally urged the utility to move
fuel from the plant as soon as a national
repository for nuclear waste is identified. Nuclear opponents said the current
storage options make the plan a target for
terrorism and vulnerable to earthquakes
and other natural disasters.
Representatives from the federal government’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
which is overseeing the decommissioning of the plant, will be presenting at the
meeting. Additionally, radioactive material
storage experts and UC Berkeley professor Per Peterson, who served on President
Barack Obama’s commission regarding the
nation’s nuclear future, will speak.
WHAT’S NEXT: The utility recently announced its intention to create a new
emergency plan reflecting the plant’s
Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

CUSD’s School Lottery
Could be Reviewed

decommissioning process of de-fueling
nuclear reactors. Updated plans could
mean Edison’s emergency-related operations no longer fall outside the plant’s site.
Edison was cited in March by NRC regulators for a low-level violation regarding
its emergency response staffing after the
plant’s shutdown. The plan would bring
Edison and SONGS into compliance.
The panel discussion and presentations will be held at 6 p.m. at the San Juan
Capistrano Community Center, located at
25925 Camino Del Avion. Panelists include
the mayors of Dana Point, San Clemente,
San Juan Capistrano and representatives
from organizations across Orange and San
Diego counties.
FIND OUT MORE: For more information
on the panel and upcoming discussions,
visit www.songscommunity.com.
—Jim Shilander

Bicyclist Killed in Pacific
Coast Highway Crash
THE LATEST: A Dana Point cyclist was
killed late Tuesday evening after being
struck by a vehicle on Pacific Coast Highway. Alcohol may have been a factor in the
crash, authorities said.
The bicyclist was identified as 38-yearold Haitham Gamal of Dana Point, Lt. Jeff
Hallock of the Orange County Sheriff’s
Department confirmed.

THE LATEST: Residents of Ladera Ranch
told the Capistrano Unified School District
Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April
23 their children, who were expecting to
attend San Juan Hills High School, were
being directed elsewhere in the district
despite having priority slots for the school.
Parents said the community, which is
zoned to send approximately 75 percent
of its students to San Juan Hills and 25
percent to Tesoro High School, has one
middle school. They said this led to the development of friendships among students,
who will now be separated.
Community facilities district funds from
Ladera Ranch were partially used to help
fund the construction of San Juan Hills,
giving students in the area priority. Even
students in the Tesoro zone are supposed
to be given priority over those from other
parts of the district, they said.
Parents said approximately 56 students
were sent to Tesoro despite the priority
listing and others, with lower school-ofchoice priority—including students from
San Clemente and Dana Point—had been
given spots at the school.
WHAT’S NEXT: A review of the lottery
process used to assign students to their
schools of choice will be agendized for
May, district officials said.—JS

Toll Roads to Cease
Cash Collection May 14

Agencies will no longer collect cash
toll payments on its 51-mile toll road
network, effective Wednesday, May 14 at
12:01 a.m.
In January, the TCA introduced new
electronic toll collection methods that do
away with cash-payment stations along
state routes 73, 133, 241 and 261. FasTrak users will still be able to use their
transponders, but new Express Account
license plate imaging will collect tolls
electronically as drivers pass through.
“With our new nonstop system, gone
will be the need to stop at toll plazas and
fumble around for exact change,” said San
Joaquin Hills TCA chairman Rush Hill in
a statement.
WHAT’S NEXT: The TCA will be offering
new FasTrak and ExpressAccount customers a free week on the toll roads by
using the promotional code “FREETOLL,”
when signing up for a new account at
www.thetollroads.com.
The offer ends May 11.—Brian Park

City Provides Humorous
Notes to Drivers
THE LATEST: Drivers traveling Pacific
Coast Highway and Del Prado Avenue
have been treated to more than just
construction update messages as the city
works to revamp downtown streets.
Messages reading, “You’re beautiful”
and “Mama said there’d be days like this”
accompany traffic alerts and construction
updates as crews move to turn the roads
into two-way streets, add medians, bus
pullouts and more. When the electronic
signs came back online after being off for
a few days, one read, “Did you miss us.”
Staff suggested including humorous
messages as a way of bringing some levity
to a potentially frustrating situation, said
Brad Fowler, the city’s director of public
works and engineering.
The messages have also been an effective way to get people to pay attention to
the non-humorous messages supplying
information about the closures, he said.
“We hope it attracts people’s attention
as well as trying to bring a little bit of
humor,” Fowler said.
WHAT’S NEXT: Fowler said the messages
will continue with staff suggestions as
work carries on. The city continues work
along PCH and northern Del Prado in the
coming weeks, with first phase construction likely lasting through the fall.
FIND OUT MORE: For construction
updates, visit www.danapoint.org, place
the cursor on “City News,” scroll to
“Town Center” and click on “PCH/Del
Prado Street Design/Construction.”
—AP and JS

THE LATEST: The Transportation Corridor

Page 3

www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Rising Through
the Ranks
Dana Point Grand Prix
growth parallels
development of riders
BY STEVE BREAZEALE AND ANDREA
PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES

D

evan Dunn started cycling out of
necessity.
While playing water polo at
Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, he
would hitch a ride with his father, Mark
Dunn, each day from their Irvine home.
It was time the two enjoyed together, but
their lives took an unexpected turn in
2009 when Mark was diagnosed with the
most serious form of skin cancer—Stage 4
melanoma.
With Mark’s diagnosis came change.
As he began experimental treatments at
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center,
Devan started his ride. Devan took to a
single-speed bike in order to go to water
polo practice. It “accidentally” fit, he said.
As he and friends embarked on the first
rides together, Devan’s ability and passion
for cycling grew.
He began competing, earning points in
early races and achieving amateur status
by May when the 2009 Dana Point Grand
Prix of cycling rolled around. Devan went
on to win the race with his father on the
sidelines. It’s a spot Mark has never left
and a vantage point of his son he never
misses in Dana Point.
“It’s one of the races that no matter
what, he is there,” Devan said.
Mark was there when Devan nearly
bested the professional field in 2011 but
was caught in a close finish. The 24-yearold now rides professionally.
Like his style of riding, he quickly rose
in points moving from a novice rider
to a professional in just over a year. On
Sunday, as Devan hits the downtown race
course, he’ll be backed by an international
company, as a member of Team Jelly Belly
presented by MAXXIS.
GAINING SPEED
Devan’s rapid ascension up the cycling
ranks mimics the local Grand Prix’s own
development, personifying what the oneday race has become.
The Dana Point Grand Prix began in
2007 as an event “for the community,
by the community,” said Russell Ames,
executive director of the race’s organizer,
Dana Point Community Cycling Foundation. Within two years, the closed-circuit,
fast-paced race, known as criterium, was
on the national radar.
In 2009, reigning USPRO National
Criterium Champion Rahsaan Bahati came
to town. With all eyes on the elite racer,
Bahati delivered with a first-place finish. It

Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

Shane Kline, 24, from Bally Penn., just before the start of last year’s John Johnson Family Pro NCC Classic
at the Dana Point Grand Prix. Kline went on to win, besting race favorite Ken Hanson in a close finish.
Photo: Andrea Papagianis

was a landmark moment for the race and
its growing popularity.
“You can see the progression. (Bahati’s
win) kind of put us on the map. When you
have the reigning criterium champion
come to your race and win it, it puts you
on that bigger map,” Ames said.
With the popularity and credibility of
the race on the rise, the prize purse naturally grew with it. This year there will be a
$17,500 cash purse at stake, the largest in
the event’s history.
The prize money and prestige attracts
some of the top racing teams from the
United States and beyond. This year, the
top team in the 2014 National Criterium
Calendar standings, United Healthcare,
will be sending a team of riders to compete. Joining United Healthcare as one of
the top professional teams to beat will be
Team Novo Nordisk, a continental team
comprised of riders with diabetes.
The 0.8-mile-long competition is a
combination of street and velodrome—an
arena for track cycling—racing, where
cyclists jet around at speeds upward of 30
mph. The L-shaped course winds through
Dana Point’s downtown and surrounding
neighborhood with the start and finish
line on Del Prado Avenue.
Team Novo Nordisk, whose members
race all around the world, will be sending
three riders to the event for the first time.
Team member Joe Eldridge, a Georgia
native, has been itching to compete in the
fast-growing criterium race known for its
speed and close finishes.
“It’s known as a really fast course with
big road and the guys who are winning are
the guys who want a challenge,” Eldridge

said. “The essence of American-style
racing is the criterium, and Dana Point
embodies that.”
The day’s pro race attracts the biggest
names, but there is also room in the field
for up and coming semi-professionals and
amateurs looking to make their mark, like
Dunn was three years ago.
Frank Sarate is the director and owner
of Team Socalcycling.com/Craig Shelly,
a developmental team based in Southern California. Development teams, like
Sarate’s, are lower level racing team’s that
offer young riders the chance to be seen
on the national circuit.
“It allows the amateur riders to race
with the pros,” Sarate said. “It is a scouting
mechanism and it’s a good way for the
amateur riders to get noticed.”
Sarate’s teams have been competing in
the Dana Point Grand Prix for years, and
every year he views the race as a launching
pad for riders. If a rider has a good race,
they can move up in categories and possibly get picked up by a professional team.
“You’ll get riders who race year-round
and just want the opportunity to race with
the professionals,” Sarate said. “That will
spark the interest of the rider taking it
to the next level. Technically, you can be
racing in Dana Point one year and riding
in the Tour de France the next.”
The local Grand Prix is built around
those amateur and kids’ races, giving developing riders a chance to shine before the
John Johnson Family Pro Classic—an NCC
race bearing the name of an avid cyclist
who died from mesothelioma, a rare cancer
commonly caused by exposure to asbestos.
Johnson’s son, Michael, helped establish

Page 5

Dana Point Grand Prix:
Racer Spotlight
The field at the 2014 Dana Point Grand Prix
is comprised of elite and amateur talent.
Here are two riders to keep an eye on during
the day’s activities.
THE ESTABLISHED PRO
Name: Joe Eldridge
Age: 31
Team: Team Nordo
Nordisk
Experience: 6 years
Career Highlights: Former
United States track
Courtesy photo
national champion (team
pursuit, 2012); Founding member of Team
Nordo Nordisk predecessor, Team Type 1.
THE YOUNG GUN
Name: Devan Dunn
Age: 24
Team: Team Jelly Belly
presented by MAXXIS
Experience: 5 years
Career Highlights: Dana
Point Grand Prix Category
Photo: Jelly Belly
3 winner (2009); FiveCandy Company
time Category 1/2 winner
on the USA Cycling criterium circuit.
Compiled by Steve Breazeale

the race to raise awareness about asbestos,
the disease and to honor his father.
For Devan and his father, this race also
holds special meaning.
This year, with Devan’s backing from a
well-known team, Mark will be at his favorite spot, celebrating his road to recovery
five years after his diagnosis.
“For him, it is one of the better ones
(races),” Devan said. “It feels just a little
more like a family race.” DP
www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

DP Sheriff’s
Blotter
COMPILED BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS

All information below is obtained from the Orange County Sheriff’s
Department website. The calls represent what was told to the
deputy in the field by the radio dispatcher. The true nature of an incident often differs from what is initially reported. No assumption of
criminal guilt or affiliation should be drawn from the content of the
information provided. An arrest doesn’t represent guilt. The items
below are just a sampling of the entries listed on the OCSD website.

SPONSORED BY

Dana Point Police Services
www.HideitLockitOrLoseit.com

Tuesday, April 29
PETTY THEFT Del Prado Avenue, 24800 Block
(7:36 p.m.) A man entered a Verizon Wireless store, took a cellphone display and
ran out. A store employee reported the
loss of a Samsung smartphone. The man
was last seen on foot heading northbound
toward Golden Lantern. The caller said up
to three men were involved.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Street
of the Violet Lantern/Del Prado Avenue
(7:21 p.m.) A drunken customer was believed to have left a restaurant and driven
away in a white Toyota sedan. Another
customer said the driver pulled over and
ran north on Violet Lantern.
CITIZEN ASSIST Ritz Pointe Drive, 0 Block
(2:28 p.m.) The caller was detailing a
neighbor’s car, who was out of town, when
he discovered a large switchblade knife.
The man questioned whether such a knife
was legal. He was advised on laws regarding switchblades.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT-NON INJURY Lantern
Bay Drive, 34300 Block (12:53 p.m.)
A water delivery serviceperson reportedly dropped off water bottles that rolled
down the street and hit a vehicle.
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Camino Capistrano, 34100 Block (9:26 a.m.)
Two women were seen going through a
planter, in which the caller located two
syringes. The caller believed the women
were dealing drugs from the location.
DISTURBANCE Dana Point Harbor Drive/
Cove Road (6:11 a.m.) Authorities arrested a man who a witness said was
walking on the pier throughout the night
screaming obscenities and gesturing to
children in the area.

Monday, April 28
INDECENT EXPOSURE Doheny Park Road,
34000 Block (10:25 p.m.) Deputies were
notified of a drunken man wearing a gray
shirt and blue jeans who was masturbating in public. The caller followed the man
and led authorities to him. The subject
was later released to his grandparents.
DISTURBANCE Santa Clara Avenue, 24440
Block (7:04 p.m.) A man in his 20s, wearing a gray shirt and black shorts, urinated
in the caller’s neighbor’s yard. He was last
seen on Santa Clara heading toward Blue
Lantern with a female companion. The
caller was upset because “this happens all
the time with beachgoers.”
SUSPICIOUS PERSON/CIRCUMSTANCE Pacific
Coast Highway/Del Obispo Street (10:35
a.m.) The caller requested a patrol check
for a man standing in northbound traffic
lanes in a catatonic state.

Photo: Andrea Swayne

Friends and family of the late Randy Miller, a
chiropractor from Laguna Niguel, built a sandcastle
{ I N DA NA P O I NT }
Sunday in his memory. The group worked with
professional sand sculptors Archisand to create a lost city of Atlantisthemed sandcastle at Salt Creek Beach, Miller’s favorite surf break.
The sandcastle was built in time for Miller’s 1 p.m. memorial paddleout. Miller, who had been battling cancer, died April 5. He is survived
by his wife, three daughters and a son. He was 58.

SCENE

Page 6

www.danapointtimes.com

EYE ON DP

Mayor Highlights Dana Point’s Achievements
at Annual State of the City Address
Dana Point celebrates 25 years of cityhood, mayor applauds successes
BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES

D

ana Point Mayor Lisa Bartlett highlighted a year of city achievements
during the annual State of the City
address and luncheon, held Tuesday at
the St. Regis Monarch Beach resort.
Bartlett touched on the city’s downtown infrastructure project to revamp the
Lantern District (formerly labeled Town
Center), on the success of the open-air
Elephant Parade exhibit and the city’s
positive financial status—no debt and
substantial cash reserves.
During the gathering, the Chamber of
Commerce presented awards to area businesses and organizations for going “above
and beyond” in keeping Dana Point attractive and for creating a sense of community.
Award recipients included Crown
Acquisitions, Inc. for rehabbing a building
at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway
and Crystal Lantern; Jimmy’s Famous
American Tavern, which opened last fall
in an overhauled front across from the
Dana Point Harbor; and StillWater Spirits
& Sounds for preserving culture at its

Dana Point Mayor Lisa Bartlett highlights the city’s
achievements during her State of the City address.
Photo: Montgomery Photography

historic storefront that served as a sales
office for Dana Point’s first developer in
the 1920s.
Lastly, the Ocean Institute was honored
for its Maddie James Seaside Learning
Center. The waterfront center opened last
May in memory of a 5-year-old Capistrano
Beach kindergartener, who passed away
in March 2011 and whose favorite place to
visit was the Ocean Institute. DP

City looks to zone for shelters on Wednesday, May 7
but not at actually building one for now

N

o city likes dealing with its homelessness issues, but San Clemente
is now being forced to.
On, Wednesday May 7, the city’s Planning Commission will hear from residents
and debate where to allow a homeless
shelter to be set up.
California passed Senate Bill 2 in 2007.
Beginning in 2008, the law required cities
to designate an area where emergency
shelters and transitional housing could be
built or created. San Clemente’s housing element was adopted in 2011 and
must now be amended, since shelters are
currently not allowed in the city zoning
ordinances. The city must designate a
zone, or zones, where a homeless shelter
is allowed.
The city has approximately 65 long-term
homeless, though the population fluctuates on a seasonal basis, according to the
Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
The city has targeted a number of
potential shelter sites, which, according

San Clemente Discusses
Homeless Shelter Options
BY JIM SHILANDER, DANA POINT TIMES

Community
Meetings

to the law, must be close to both public
transportation and a job center, but also
removed from city schools, residential
areas and parks. The latter restrictions
essentially eliminate most of the city from
consideration.
The city plans to present six different
sites Wednesday. Sites include the location
of the former Kmart on Camino de Estrella, a city-owned utility yard on Avenida
Pico near North Beach, a pair of sites in
the Rancho San Clemente Business Park
and a site behind Denny’s on Avenida
Pico. A final site is an open space canyon
off Avenida Pico.
Dana Point residents have expressed
concern about the Kmart site, since its location is close to residences in Capistrano
Beach. The city will also consider what
type of limit to put on how many beds
would be allowed in churches. Dana Point
has a strict 10-bed limit for churches. Also,
Dana Point recently established a task
force, headed by Councilman Bill Brough,
to address homelessness in the city. DP
Page 8

Representatives from the Ocean Institute accepted a
beautification award from the Dana Point Chamber
of Commerce Tuesday for the Maddie James Seaside
Learning Center. Photo: Montgomery Photography

8:30 p.m. Practice becoming a confident
communicator in a fun learning environment at the Dana Point Library, 33841
Niguel Road. Visit www.1707.toastmastersclubs.org to find out more or contact
Marshall at 949.441.6179.

City Council Meeting—Canceled
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7

Longtime Dana Point resident and baseball announcer
Gene Burrus leads the Pledge of Allegiance. Burrus was
named Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. Photo: Montgomery Photography

Quarterly Siren Testing The area’s
emergency siren system, located in
communities surrounding the San
Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, will
undergo its quarterly testing. Testing
will take place in different communities
throughout the week. Find out more at
www.danapoint.org/siren.

DP SOAPBOX
Dana Point

VIEWS, OPINIONS AND INSIGHTS

Letters to the Editor
H2O TREATMENT MIXTURE NOT
ALLURING FOR CONSUMPTION
WAYNE VIA, Dana Point

I just finished reading the column titled
“Turning to Your Tap” (Dana Point Times,
April 25. Vol. 7, Issue 17), extolling the
quality of the water delivered to us from
the South Coast Water District.
Andrew Brunhart, the district’s general
manager, made a good argument for drinking tap water, and until three months ago, I
would have totally agreed with his position.
In February, I started having pinhole
leak problems at my home. My house is
only 14 years old and since I oversaw the
entire construction, I know that only top
quality material was used. I had no sooner
repaired one pinhole leak and patched
the ceiling, when another sprung up in a
different room. When I mentioned it to my
neighbors, I was surprised to find out that
four others had the same problem.
I wrote a letter to the SCWD and
received a personal phone call explaining
that the water district has nothing to do
with the quality of the water that they provide. The gentlemen told me they purchase
all their water from the Metropolitan Water
District and that if I continued to have
problems, I would have to call them. I was
also told that the water was treated with
“chloramines,” a mixture of chlorine and
ammonia. For some reason, that mixture

doesn’t make me want to run to the tap for
a drink of water.
I would hope that if other homes in
Dana Point are having this problem they
will let SCWD know.

fair and honest public servants who are
true to their oath to uphold the city’s statutes and regulations. They deserve every
resident’s heartfelt thanks and respect.

IT’S TIME TO WORK TOGETHER ON
INTERSTATE 5 TRAFFIC JAMS

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS
DESERVING OF THANKS, RESPECT

BRIAN MERTZ, San Clemente

JOHN HAZELRIGG, Dana Point

Dana Point Planning Commission Chairman Gary Newkirk, Vice Chairperson Liz
Clause and commission members Susan
Whittaker and April O’Connor are to be
highly commended for the thoughtful and
professional manner in which they conducted the multiple meetings regarding
the application for The Doheny Hotel.
They were thorough, fair and demonstrated a complete understanding of
the issues regarding this project and the
impact it would have on our city. Density,
traffic, parking, loading and unloading,
noise and, above all, safety of our streets
were discussed at length. Proponents of
the project, as well as concerned citizens
that opposed it, were heard and their input
was considered.
Our commissioners’ decision to reject
the special variances requested by the applicant was the right decision for our city
and they had the prescience to recognize
this.
I am very proud to be represented by

Here we (don’t) go again.
How many frustrating, wasteful, fumespewing traffic nightmares will it take
before we develop an Interstate 5 alternative that is so crucial to our quality of life?
A wreck near Camp Pendleton stops
traffic for hours. A fatal truck crash spills
lumber across all lanes in the middle of
town. Then two motorcycles tangle in San
Juan Capistrano and it happens again.
Each time, El Camino Real is clogged with
cars seeking a way around and ubiquitous
GPS guides hordes of drivers through our
narrow residential streets.
It’s way past time for state and regional
traffic planners, myopic environmentalists
and, crucially, the U.S. Marine Corps, to
stop defending their narrow turf and cooperate to solve a recurring problem that can
only continue to get worse.
In the meantime, maybe downtown
businesses and the outlet mall being built
in San Clemente could profit by posting
new freeway signs advertising good places
to wait out the inevitable jams.

WHAT PART OF ‘NO’ IS HARD TO
UNDERSTAND?
JODY PAYNE, Dana Point

Dana Point Symphony. Photo: Robin Gray

DANA POINT SYMPHONY’S
SEASON IS FIRST CLASS
KENT WELTON, Dana Point

Yet another great concert of the Dana
Point Symphony season, with a beautiful
Mendelssohn violin concerto and a very
dynamic Beethoven 5th—a real joy to
Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

hear was presented on April 25.
We are privileged to have such a professional symphony here in Dana Point.
Big thanks to Councilman Scott Schoeffel
for his generous support. Moving here 26
years ago I would not have imagined that
one day Dana Point would have such a
first class orchestra for our enjoyment.

Exactly what part of “No” does the
Beverly Hills Hospitality Group not understand?
I am dismayed that once again the
citizens of Dana Point have to spend our
time fighting a battle against the five-story
Doheny Hotel that clearly no one wants in
its present form. For four years, residents have been attending informational
meetings, community meetings with the
developer’s public relations group and
Planning Commission meetings. We have
written untold letters, signed petitions and
paid for ads to raise awareness about the
egregious demands this entitled developer
seems to think he deserves.
Now Beverly Hills Hospitality Group
has submitted an appeal to the City Council. I am confident that our elected leaders
have been paying close attention and will
do the right thing.

Dana Point Times, Vol. 7, Issue 18. The DP Times (www.
danapointtimes.com) is published weekly by Picket Fence
Media, publishers of the SC Times (www.sanclementetimes.
com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (www.thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs
or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be
reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The
publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited
manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2014. All
rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

FOLLOW THE DANA POINT T IMES

To submit a letter to the editor for possible inclusion
in the paper, e-mail us at letters@danapointtimes.com
or send it to 34932 Calle del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano
Beach, CA 92624. Dana Point Times reserves the right
to edit reader-submitted letters for length and is not
responsible for the claims made or the information
written by the writers.

to the eighth annual Dana
Point Grand Prix of Cycling
This exclusive sporting event has become the premier
one-day cycling competition on the USA Cycling National
Racing Calendar. The much anticipated day of fast-paced
action draws many world-class professionals, as well as
talented amateur cyclists, to compete with our beautiful
coastal city as the backdrop.
The event, which is coordinated by the Dana Point Community
Cycling Foundation, offers something for the whole family. In addition to the competition on the race course there will also be a Kids’
Zone with games, food, face-painting and other fun activities as
well as a bicycle safety course.
Also returning for its second year, the Cycle de Mayo Street Festival will offer music, craft beer, a variety of cuisine, a vendor expo
zone and more.
Every year this event draws bigger crowds so plan on arriving early for the best
viewing areas. With multiple race classes from amateur to professional, the action
throughout the day is non-stop. There are also special races for kids, which are
always crowd pleasers.
The DPCCF advocates the safe use of bicycles as an alternate mode of transportation, promotes cycling for fun and sport and educates the public about the joys of
riding. The organization also highlights the health beneﬁts for all riders, regardless of
age, in order to support active and healthy lifestyles for youth and adults.
Giving back to the community is important to the DPCCF and the event raises money
to support local charities and increase the awareness of the long-term beneﬁts of
cycling starting at a young age.
We are delighted to continue partnering with sponsors and local organizations such
as the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano
Valley and the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment Support Group.
For action, excitement and family-friendly fun, the 2014 Dana Point Grand Prix of
Cycling is just the ticket. Race entry fees are waived for kids and roadside viewing of
all the day’s action is also free.
For more information, visit www.danapointgrandprix.com, or follow on Twitter
@DPGP and Facebook at www.facebook/DanaPointGrandPrix.
I look forward to seeing you and your family on race day!
Lisa Bartlett, Mayor

Sunday | 04
DANA POINT GRAND PRIX OF CYCLING
All day. Watch professionals, amateurs and
children race around downtown in one of
the nation’s largest single-day criterium
Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

Ericka Reeb, children’s librarian at the Dana Point Library, hosts two story times for preschoolers, toddlers and
their caretakers most Tuesday’s of the year. Photo: Andrea Papagianis

PRESCHOOL AND TODDLER STORY TIMES
10:15 a.m., 11 a.m. Dana Point children’s librarian Ericka Reeb hosts two story times
each Tuesday for preschoolers, toddlers and their caretakers. No RSVP required. Call the
library with questions. Dana Point Library, 33481 Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517,
www.ocpl.org/libloc/dana.

Monday | 05
DANA WHARF WHALE WATCHING Noon,
2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Climb onboard for a
chance to see whales, dolphins and more.
Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point,
888.224.0603, www.danawharf.com.
IMAGINATION CELEBRATION Each day
during library hours. Children are invited
to create art at the Dana Point Library.
Creativity will be highlighted and works
will be displayed. Teens are also invited to
participate in a special Post-It art project.
Runs through Sunday, May 25. 33841
Niguel Road, Dana Point, 949.496.5517,
www.ocpl.org/libloc/dana.

For our full calendar, visit the “Event Calendar”
at www.danapointtimes.com
Have an event? Send your listing to
events@danapointtimes.com

Tom Hiddleston as Adam and Tilda Swinton
as Eve in Only Lovers Left Alive. Photo: Sandro
Kopp, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

I

n an era when the oversaturated
vampire genre has been run into
the ground—thanks to Twilight,
“True Blood” and “The Vampire
Diaries,” to name a few—one of film’s
most acclaimed independent filmmakers provides his own take on the
now-stock character. Writer/director
Jim Jarmusch’s latest film, Only Lovers
Left Alive reunites him with character
actress Tilda Swinton and introduces
Marvel favorite Tom Hiddleston in
another dark role to add to his portfolio.
In 2012 Detroit, a vampire musician named Adam (Hiddleston) has
been feeling depressed and uninspired
with his music and his life. When his
longtime lover and fellow vampire Eve
(Swinton) visits from Tangiers, their
romance is revived. The reunion is
rudely interrupted by Eve’s younger
sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska), who
crashes at Adam’s apartment and tries
to seduce his human assistant Ian
(Anton Yelchin). John Hurt and Jeffrey
Wright co-star.
Best known for his episodic tales of
ordinary people in such films as Night
on Earth (1991) and Coffee & Cigarettes
(2003), Jarmusch takes one of the
most popular supernatural creatures
and provides a new take, minus action and gore. Only Lovers Left Alive
has some intriguing actors playing
interesting characters who just happen
to survive on blood and spend time
pondering how much the world will
continue to change around them.
For fans worried Jarmusch is slumming it with this one, he’s actually
done the opposite and will likely gain a
broader audience in the process.
—Megan Bianco

www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP LIVING
Dana Point

PROFILES OF OUR COMMUNITY

GUEST OPINION: It’s History by Carlos N. Olvera

A Road is a Road is a Road
Tracking the local transformation of California State Route 1 or Pacific Coast Highway

P

araphrasing Gertrude Stein, we are
referring to “PCH.” That is local
lingo for Pacific Coast Highway.
The U.S. Post Office shows it as Pacific
Coast Highway, but it is posted as Coast
Highway for those entering Dana Point
from the south. Officially though, it is
California State Route 1.
It actually has a physical beginning and
IT’S HISTORY
Carlos N. Olvera
an end. Today, Route 1 begins in northern
Mendocino County and ends in Capistrano Beach. As the
route developed, it was given various names in various locations and was built in pieces. It is best known as a historic
scenic highway with some awesome views of California’s
rugged coastline.
The first state highway construction project in 1912 was
Highway 1. In 1919, the legislature planned Route 60 from
El Rio (Oxnard) to Serra, or Capistrano Beach, along the
coast. Its construction was announced in 1921 for a total
of 430 miles, of which 261 had already been built, and was
named after President Theodore Roosevelt. In 1923, the
first gas tax was created to fund the highway system.
The original county road, which was laid out about 1914,
was a true east-west dirt trail. As it came over the hill, now

near the PCH and Del Prado Avenue split, and went to
now Old Golden Lantern, a left was required to go north to
avoid the canyon mouth leading to the beach 100 feet below. It then turned right and headed southeast to McKinley,
now Del Obispo Street, and crossed the creek at Victoria
Boulevard in Capistrano Beach.
In 1934, the roadway began as Route 3. Those Route 3
signs were replaced by U.S. Route 101 Alternate signs in
1935. Pacific Coast Highway was completed in 1937,
and was named such in 1941. It was not until 1964
that it achieved the rank of No. 1 when the state
route numbering system was adopted.
However, this renaming only called the portion of road, from Dana Point to Ventura, Pacific
Coast Highway. When Interstate 5 came in 1958
an elevated on-ramp was built to connect the
roadways.
In 1969, Orange County co-financed a study for south
coast scenic improvements where a basic plan was drawn
up to have through traffic bypass the business district from
Blue Lantern to Copper Lantern in order to create a central
downtown with Del Prado becoming “Coast Highway.”
The county approved a realignment of PCH into two
one-way streets in 1974. That reality came in the spring of

1986. The delay was due to state leaders, who controlled
the effort. This upset businesses along Del Prado as traffic
bypassed their stores. Businesses then wished Coast Highway, which means fast to some, would become Coast Lane,
which could slow traffic down.
In the early 2000s, signage was proposed by the community to change the names to PCH South and PCH North
to reduce a perceived confusion. California set to
relinquished control of PCH portions to various
cities in 2001. Dana Point took responsibility in
2005 from San Juan Creek to city’s northern
border. In 2008, Dana Point, through a committee, decided to reverse the traffic pattern back to
two-way streets.
Now, after 25 years of cityhood, the revitalization of Dana Point’s downtown business district
is coming to fruition with State Route 1 back to its
original configuration.
Carlos N. Olvera is Vice Chair of the OC Historical Commission and a Dana Point City Councilman. DP
PLEASE NOTE: In an effort to provide our readers with a wide variety of opinions from our
community, the DP Times provides Guest Opinion opportunities in which selected columnists’ opinions are shared. The opinions expressed in these columns are entirely those of
the columnist alone and do not reflect those of the DP Times or Picket Fence Media. If you
would like to respond to this column, please email us at editorial@danapointtimes.com

DP LIVING

Old World Charm

Rose Society’s garden tour steps into artists’
European influenced gardens
BY ANDREA PAPAGIANIS, DANA POINT TIMES

M

aria del Carmen Calvo steps into
her canvas. Nestled along the
Capistrano Beach bluffs, Calvo’s
rich garden “rooms” provide an escape
from the outside world, where the inside
meets the out, creating a space straight
from one of the artist’s oil paintings.
Walking the grounds Calvo stops to
smell the roses. “It’s my sanctuary,” Calvo
says in the heavy Spanish accent she
carries even after 50 years in California.
She moves through the garden, passing
through a line of olive trees—a simple,
gravel path shrouded by tall, neatly
trimmed topiaries. It’s one of the many
ways her European heritage, and artistic
style, shines through the rose-lined pathways and tall hedges.
Calvo and her husband, Walter Henry,
have been building their home for 30 years.
They started with a clean slate. All but one
tree was removed when they moved into
their Camino Capistrano-located home.
Since, Calvo has cultivated an outdoor living space where tranquility reigns.
Roses billow from their branches, heavy
and wide, encompassing cement walkways
Calvo lay with intricate glass and tile designs. Fountains echo the gentle trickling of
water. Around each corner, Calvo’s artistic
sleight of hand peeks through with personal
touches straight from an artist’s eye.
“It’s a happy place,” Calvo said. “It is a
place for everyone to enjoy.”
On Saturday, May 10, Calvo and Henry
will open their home for all as the Rose
Society of Saddleback Mountain hosts its
annual south Orange County garden tour.
Attendees of this year’s event, coined the
“Elegant and Enchanting Garden Tour,”
will have the chance to tour five home
gardens highlighting floral displays, environmentally sound garden practices and
garden architecture.
Looking from the second-story balcony
of Bill and Sandra Jensen’s garden cottage,
which sits behind their main house, an
elaborately woven garden takes form.

For 11 years, Bill and Sandra Jensen have welcomed
guests to their San Clemente bed and breakfast,
Garden Cottage at the Green, to take respite among
their well-kept, European-inspired gardens.
Photo: Andrea Papagianis

Knotted together, various short hedges
weave in and out of one another, replicating a technique from European gardeners of old. Throughout the couple’s San
Clemente one-room bed and breakfast,
which acts as a backdrop to weddings and
weekend getaways, views from above provide a clearer vision of the techniques Bill
acquired from his decade living in Europe.
The perimeter of the Jensen’s home
is lined with well-manicured hedges, tall
shade trees and colorful vines that pop
against deep green hues. Sprinkled in the
mix are scentimental roses of reds and
pinks that are swirled with creamy-white
stripes, and espalier fruit trees, presented
in the two-dimensional trained form from
the Middle Ages.
“I tried to have things that you would
not see in everybody’s garden,” Bill
Jensen said. “When someone looks at the
espalier apple tree and says ‘Where can I
get one of those,’ I say ‘Well you can’t get
one of those, you have to grow it.’”
Visitors can learn more about Calvo’s
and Jensen’s gardens and techniques
during the Rose Society’s tour. Tickets
are $25 in advance or $30 the day of. Sales
support the society’s horticulture and
plant science related scholarships for
college and university students. Visit
www.rosesrosesroses.org for tickets. DP

Sudoku
BY MYLES MELLOR

Last week’s solution:

Each Sudoku puzzle
consists of a 9x9
grid that has been
subdivided into nine
smaller grids of 3x3
squares. To solve the
puzzle, each row,
column and box must
contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Puzzles
come in three grades: easy, medium and
difficult. Level: Medium
Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

OTHER INTERESTING STUFF
$100 FOR A PICTURE OF SHERRY DAVIS,
high school grad of 1965. Born on 08/15/1947
in Des Moines, Iowa. Left with family in 1962 to
San Clemente, CA. Please contact Gary Templeton at (515)528-0752

USE
LOCALS ONLY
In print and online
52 weeks a year.
View online at
www.danapointtimes.com
Call at Debra Wells for pricing
at 949.589.0892 or email
dwells@thecapistranodispatch.com

DP SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Dana Point

STORIES, SCORES, SCHEDULES AND MORE

Dolphin
Report

City Recreation
Sports League
Sign-Ups Begin
Monday, May 5

BY STEVE BREAZEALE AND KEVIN DAHLGREN,
DANA POINT TIMES

For in-game updates, news and more for
all the Dana Hills High School spring
sports teams, follow us on Twitter
@SouthOCsports.

DANA POINT TIMES

R

Dolphins Track Teams Go
Undefeated
Both the boys and girls Dana Hills track
and field teams capped off undefeated
runs through the South Coast League dual
meet season with wins over visiting Mission Viejo on April 30.
The Diablos came into the meet following a win at the Orange County Championships five days earlier.
The boys team came away with a 77.558.5 win and the girls triumphed, 76-60.
The Dolphins’ Michaela King continued
to excel in the hurdle events, winning both
the 100 and 300 hurdles in times of 15.14
and 43.82, respectively.
Christina Wright, Kathryn Kaloroumakis and Sienna Serrao finished first,
second and third, respectively, in the 3,200
to boost the Dolphins point total.
In the boys events, Jake Ogden won
the 1,600 and the 3,200. Nick Van Vilet
claimed both the 100- and 200-meter runs
and finished second in the 400.
The Dolphins may have swept the
season series with all of their league opponents, but now the South Coast League
finals looms on May 9, where the title is
up for grabs.

Dolphins Baseball Survives
Late-Inning Push in 7-6 Win
The Dana Hills baseball team continued
their roll through the Sea View League on
April 30 with a 7-6 victory over San Juan
Hills. But it wasn’t easy.
Holding on to a 6-0 lead and heading
into the final three innings, the Dolphins’
lead shrunk to 6-5 after allowing the Stallions to score two runs in the fi fth and
three runs in the sixth.
Trailing by two runs in the top of the
seventh and final inning, the Stallions
scored on an RBI double by junior Tim
Humphreys. With the game-tying run
at second base and two outs, Dana Hills
senior pitcher Louis Raymond sealed the
victory for the Dolphins by getting Jacob
Duhey to fly out to centerfield for the final
out.
The Dolphins (20-5, 8-1) continue to
win and have reached the elusive 20-win
Dana Point Times May 2–8, 2014

Dana Hills’ Tanner Podres and the boys golf team clinched at least a share of the South Coast League title on
April 30. Photo: Steve Breazeale

phins or the Titans, would stumble to the
finish line but the Dolphins didn’t blink.
So far, Tesoro hasn’t either. The Titans
can share first place with the Dolphins
following a win over Aliso Niguel.
Dana Hills won six consecutive games
against league opponents to close out their
season and send their coach out on a high
note. The South Coast League Finals are
set to take place on May 5 at Talega Golf
Club in San Clemente.

Dolphins Volleyball League
Title Hopes Still Alive
Senior infielder Kayman Koen and the Dana Hills
baseball team are 8-1 in league play this season.
Photo: Steve Breazeale

plateau for the first time since the 2010
season.
They will face San Juan Hills for a final
time on May 2 and finish up league play
with two games against San Clemente on
May 7 and May 9.—Kevin Dahlgren

Boys Golf Wins League Title
The Dana Hills boys golf team put the
icing on the cake for their veteran coach
Phil Wilburton on April 30 with a 197-220
win over Trabuco Hills. The win secured
at least a share of the South Coast League
title for the Dolphins in Wilburton’s 28th
and final year as head coach.
The Dolphins (15-5, 7-1) needed to be
perfect down the stretch if they were to
claim the title after splitting the season
series with second-place Tesoro (11-2-1,
6-1) in late March. The Titans still have
one game left on their league schedule,
a match against Aliso Niguel that was set
to be played on May 1. Results were not
available at press time.
It was a matter of which team, the Dol-

A San Clemente loss to Trabuco Hills on
April 29 kept the Dana Hills boys volleyball team in the hunt for the South Coast
League title. The second-place Dolphins
were set to play on the road against firstplace San Clemente on May 1. Results
were not available at press time.
If the Dolphins were to win, it would
create a two-way tie at the top of the standings. If the Tritons win, they will have
claimed the title outright. Both teams have
one game remaining on their schedule.
The Dolphins will host Tesoro, a team
they lost to on April 17, on May 6.

Boys Lacrosse Finishes Third
in League
The Dana Hills boys lacrosse team
wrapped up Sea View League play on April
29 with a 14-1 loss to league champion
Aliso Niguel.
The Dolphins (6-10, 5-3) played a difficult nonleague schedule, and wins were
hard to come by. But Dana Hills managed
to finish league play with a winning record
and grab a solo third-place finish. The Dolphins finished one game behind secondplace Capistrano Valley.

Page 21

egistration for the city of Dana
Point’s recreation department’s
summer sports leagues will
open on Monday, May 5. The recreation department will offer co-ed kickball and softball leagues that are set
to run from Monday, July 7 to Sunday,
August 24.
The season includes six regular
season games and a two-game postseason tournament at the end of the
year. Teams can select to play either
Monday or Wednesday night with
games taking place at 6:10 p.m., 7:20
p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Softball has only one division: recreational. Kickball has two divisions:
beginner and experienced.
Cost for a softball team is $350 plus
umpire fees. Kickball registration is
$200 per team plus umpire fees.
Interested teams can register or find
more information on the city’s website
at www.danapoint.org/recreation.
Deadline to register is Friday, June
13. DP

The difficult nonleague schedule will
continue for the Dolphins with a match
against St. Margaret’s Episcopal, the
reigning US Lacrosse Southern Division
champion, on May 2.

Dolphins Softball Set for
Rematch with Diablos
The Dana Hills softball team has not
dropped a game since their 8-1 loss to
first-place Mission Viejo on April 3. The
Dolphins have outscored their opponents
25-15 in their last four contests and after
a match with San Clemente that was set
for May 1, the Dolphins will get another
shot at the Diablos on May 6. Results for
the game against San Clemente were not
available at press time.
Under the guidance of first-year head
coach Brandon Cosenza, the Dolphins
(15-4, 3-1) have had a successful year. The
team’s combined batting average is .331
and the pitching staff carries a combined
3.34 ERA. It’s likely that senior pitcher
Lindsey Cassidy will start in the circle
against the Diablos.
We want to run your scores, results and sports
announcements. Email sports@danapointtimes.com
or drop off the information to us at 34932 Calle
del Sol, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624.
www.danapointtimes.com

DP DP SURF
Dana Point

DP SURF IS PRESENTED BY:

SCOOP ON THE LOCAL SURF COMMUNITY

SUP with a Pup
Young sea lion climbs
aboard a stand-up
paddleboard

T
Malia Ward. Photo: Andrea Swayne

GROM OF THE WEEK

Malia Ward

W

aves in the 6-foot-plus range and
barreling drew surfers like a
magnet to Salt Creek Beach in
Dana Point last Sunday. Among the local
talent in the lineup was 16-year-old San
Clemente local Malia Ward. We checked in
with her to see what she’s been up to lately.
Stoked as ever, the dream of a professional surf career is still on her radar
and she’s ready to turn up her intensity
to make it a reality. “I need more good
results under my belt and am ready to get
more serious with contests, training with
coaches and just working really hard to
get to where I want to be,” Malia said.
That means entering more pro juniors,
some QS events and WSA and NSSA contests for practice in between. “I also want
to keep traveling, surfing new waves and
getting more experience.” she said, “None

of this would be possible without my mom
encouraging me and helping me chase my
dreams. It’s a real blessing to have her in
my life.”
Recent travels have taken her to Florida
and Barbados and she has plans this summer to surf in Mexico and Bali, Indonesia.
Malia is finishing up her sophomore
year online through Connections Academy where she is an ‘A’ and ‘B’ student.
“I want to continue online classes in college while chasing the pro tour,” she said.
“I definitely want to get a degree so I will
know how to run my future empire.”
Board: Lost Surfboards Sub Driver,
Mayhem, Matt Biolos, 5’8” x 18.88” x 2.25”
Sponsors: Mayhem, OAM, Blenders
Eyewear, Surfergirl Sun Care, Cyber
Wetsuits, North Beach Nutrition and KD
Custom Jewelry
Fave break: Lowers, Trestles
Hobbies: Shooting and editing videos
Surf stoke: “That feeling of exhilaration
you get when you take the drop.” DP
—Andrea Swayne

SURF FORECAST
Water Temperature: 60-62 degrees F
Water Visibility and Conditions: 6-10’ poor+
Immediate: Thursday’s fun south groundswell
continues along with modest northwest wind
and groundswell mix. Surf in the knee-chest high
(2-3’+) zone prevails at better exposures, as top
combo and summer focal points see plus sets
around favorable tides to shoulder high+ (4’+).
Conditions remain most favorable in the morning
with light to locally moderate offshore flow before
an onshore afternoon sea-breeze develops.
Longer Range Outlook: Modest south groundswell continues through the weekend, as some
mid-period new northwest swell joins in. Size
is steady in the knee-chest high (2-3’+) range
at good breaks, with larger peaks for standout combo spots. Winds and conditions look
semi-problematic with light southerly winds in
the mornings. Check out Surfline.com for all the
details!

Page 22

wo stand-up paddleboarders were
surprised last Sunday when a
young sea lion hopped aboard one
of their boards.
Dave Holmes of San Clemente and Gary
Clark of Capistrano Beach, were enjoying
a morning SUP session April 27 when the
sea lion pup hopped aboard Holmes’ board
for a nearly 15-minute ride.
Holmes said the pup was one of three
that were chasing after him and Clark
as they paddled toward the Dana Point
Harbor.
The animal appeared to have some sort
of wound on its back, but the men said
they couldn’t tell if the wound was fresh.
The animal’s behavior—trembling and
crying out—led them to believe the trio of
young pinnipeds may have been running
from a predator, Holmes said.
“We were just heading in from the green
navigational buoy outside of the Harbor

Dave Holmes of San Clemente was joined by a
frightened sea lion pup while stand-up paddling at
Dana Point Harbor on April 27. Photo: Erick Wayland

when we heard barking behind us and
saw the sea lions headed quickly toward
us,” Clark said. “The one that climbed up
on Dave’s board was obviously panicked.
We were pretty sure it meant there was a
shark nearby.”
Erick Wayland, of Dana Point, was
aboard a passing sailboat and snapped a
photo.
“When we got inside the breakwater,
my passenger disembarked and made it
safely to the jetty rocks,” Holmes said. DP
—Andrea Swayne